I make the same joke every year that it’s time for the most important show to happen on Ittenyon, so why would I stop now? Sure, Tanahashi has sold out the Dome, but is that as important as Pom and Raku teaming with Max the Impaler? I think not.
Uta Takami & Chika Nanase defeated Ren Konatsu & Shion Kanzaki
The opener was originally going to be a double debut, but TJPW decided to delay one of them. While that’s obviously a shame for the lass who has had to put everything on hold, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that the company is willing to make that decision. It’s better to cause a little bit of hurt now than put someone out there before they’re ready. Fingers crossed she’s able to bounce back and step into the ring eventually. In the meantime, her peer, Shion Kanzaki, was still debuting, making her entrance to a song that I believe she wrote and performed herself.
As always, I am not going to run an overly critical eye over someone’s debut. For all my grumbling about various wrestlers, I am slightly in awe of anyone who steps through the ropes, never mind doing it for the first time at Korakuen Hall on Ittenyon. If you don’t cry, hide under the ring or drop somewhere on their head, you’re doing great. Thankfully, Kanzaki did none of those things.
In fact, I thought she looked solid here. In the early grappling, you could see her brain ticking away, but she was relatively natural for someone doing this in front of a crowd for the first time. It’s a weird description, but she’s got a very expressive forearm. There’s a wildness to it that I quite like. Outside of that, she bumped and moved well, never feeling like she was holding anyone back. I’m not about to make any sweeping predictions, especially when she was helped by 2025 wrestler of the year Uta Takami, but she showed potential.
Outside of that, all the more experienced heads did their jobs. Uta was obviously the standout, getting the most time with the youngster and eventually tapping her out with the Koala Clutch. Konatsu and Nanase didn’t get as much shine, but that wasn’t the point. This match was about the rookie, and all things considered, I think she can come out the other end delighted with how it went.
Verdict: Welcome to the Family, Kanzaki
Hot Shots (Yuna Manase & Toga) defeated HIMAWARI & Kira Summer
I’ve said it before, and I’ll almost certainly do so again, but I’m delighted Yuna Manase has been tied to a new generation of TJPW wrestlers. She’s such a perfect person to bring in to work with the kids. Not only is she a great wrestler, but despite leaving years ago, she slips into that TJPW house style with ease. She’s as comfortable doing silly spots with HIMAWARI as she is encouraging Kira to hoss it out.
And it was Kira who stood out here. For ages, I’ve been saying that she’s at her best when she’s embracing her strength, and this was the perfect proof. She threw out a handful of different power moves here, and they all looked great. Summer’s taller and stronger than most of the roster, so the more she uses that, the better. Toga and her took over for the final act, and I can’t remember that pairing ever sparking before, but off the back of this, I’d like to see what they could do with eight minutes together.
Outside of that, this was what you’d expect from its spot on the card – a solid, undercard tag with a touch of silliness and some decent action. There was a moment of awkwardness towards the end, where I think some timings were off, but they quickly got back on the rails. When we get to the end of Ittenyon, I doubt this will be the match anyone is focusing on, but it was still enjoyable while it was on.
Verdict: Solid Stuff
Aja Kong defeated Rika Tatsumi, Mahiro Kiryu and Shino Suzuki in a four-way for the Ironman Heavy Metal Weight Title, but then lost the title to Mahiro Kiryu
What happens when you put your two most anxious wrestlers in the ring with one of wrestling’s greatest bullies and Aja Kong? Brilliance.
There was a moment in this match when I was convinced Shino was about to pin Kong. Judging by the reaction of the fans in the room, they were also momentarily able to buy into the idea. It was short, and things ended badly for Suzuki afterwards, but it was a testament to how they built this match. Yes, you had the usual multi-person formula of people selling outside the ring. However, with the Ironman title on the line, it was also a constant stream of wrestlers going for the win, opening up the idea that the impossible could happen.
Mainly, matches like this work because the personalities of those involved are so clearly defined. Mahiro’s desperation to cling to that belt, Shino’s general anxiety, Rika’s madness and Aja Kong’s human wrecking ball approach to wrestling let the various bits basically write themselves. And while you could argue that makes certain things predictable, there is a time when predictability is perfect. You see the punchline coming, and you want the satisfaction of the moment it lands. The next match is for the chaos. This one is for delivering what everyone watching wants.
Thankfully, while Aja won, she didn’t keep the belt for long. Mahiro tried to convince her to put it on the line in janken, only for Rika to sneak in and roll her up, kicking off a series of events that ended with Mahiro and Tatsumi pinning her at the same time. However, due to her positioning within the stack, Kiryu lived on to fight another day. Sadly, Shino wasn’t involved in that bit, but I thought she had a great match here (her trying to take Aja on a tour was perfect). I’m also really intrigued to see her win the title for a bit, even if I suspect it might not be good for her health. The anxiety of holding on to it might be too much for her.
Anyway, this was the clear highlight of the undercard so far. Fun, silly nonsense that had me biting on one of the most unlikely results ever. You can’t ask for more than that.
Verdict: Lovely Stuff
It was announced that Minimo-chan would be making their wrestling debut at Grand Princess. They’re a mascot for the idol band Minimoni, something I only know because I switched over to English commentary and had it explained by Mr Haku. Honestly, I’m way out of my depth with this stuff, so go listen to his commentary if you want to learn more. It sounds like a recipe for nonsense, though.
Ren Konatsu and Mahiro Kiryu won the TJPW Uma Princess Cup
The sexy horse girl stuff is one of those quirks of Japanese culture that I have been ignoring. I know a few Twitter mutuals are into it, but we’ve all got to draw our lines somewhere, and I’ve got enough on my plate without trying to understand what it all means. I trusted in the English commentary to guide me through this match, and Haku again did a decent job of explaining everything. Misao and Shoko bet on the horse they wanted to win, and then were free to antic as much as possible to ensure that it came to pass. Oh, the horses were Uta, Konatsu and Kanzaki, not real horses. That would be madness. Misao bet on Kanzaki and Shoko on Uta, a decision Ren was incredibly unimpressed by.
You probably don’t need me to tell you this was chaos. It’s the annual nonsense bowl match – it’s always chaos. There were kaiju toys, Misao got thrown down the stairs, and poor Kanzaki was launched into the deep end on day one. She even got to slam Shoko on the kaijus! I love these matches. You get the impression Shoko and Misao put them together purely to amuse themselves, and if everyone else is willing to go along for the ride, that’s a bonus. Oh, and in the middle of it, despite some confusion, the Misao Mobile won the Ironman title (after hitting Mahiro, of course).
Did it entirely work? No, some of the timings on blocking horses from completing laps were very off, and you had to buy into the idea that three young, active wrestlers were exhausted after doing one of them, but who cares? It isn’t a place for logic and reason. It is all about the nonsense, and nonsense was what we were delivered. I mean, Ren and Mahiro won a match that was announced as Shoko vs Misao. What are you doing if you’re trying to quibble with this shit? Get a hobby.
Odds are you already know whether this was for you, and if you’re on the right side of history, stop reading my rambling and go enjoy it.
Verdict: So Much Nonsense!
In the aftermath, Mahiro pinned the Misao Mobile, winning back her belt and finally getting one over an inanimate object that has had it out for her for years. It was a small thing, but it was a brilliant one.
Miyu Yamashita & Kaya Toribami defeated J-Rod & Mifu Ashida
Last year, when Mifu Ashida debuted in TJPW on Ittenyon, I was sceptical. I’d really enjoyed her team with Kyuri in Ice Ribbon, but that was mainly down to Kyuri, and I felt like she was getting a lot of unearned hype (people think she’s pretty). In the last year, she’s proved me wrong. Ashida has not only carved out a fun niche for herself with her cheerleading antics, but she’s also regularly the highlight of random undercard tags. She works surprisingly stiff, has a unique way of moving around a ring and is always good fun. There’s a reason she’d been entrusted with being J-Rod’s partner here.
And it was a trust she repaid. Not only did Mifu look good in the ring (the closing sequence with Toribami left me wanting that match), but she managed to pull some personality out of the somewhat wooden J-Rod. In fact, this whole bout was a much better use of the foreigner than her previous title shot. Asked to be a tree for Yamashita to chop down and hit a few impact spots, I was actually somewhat impressed with her. She’s still not going to be my favourite wrestler in the world, but if TJPW want to use her like this going forward, I’ll have a lot fewer complaints. She’s a great physical presence, and Miyu chipping away at her with kicks was very satisfying.
On a final note, I’m also impressed with this Miyu and Kaya pairing. Toribami seems to be benefiting from it, as Miyu pulls out the elements of her game that we saw in that great Shoko match last year. She’s a perfect foil for the Ace, and even if they’ve only been doing it for a few months, it’s already a much better pairing than 121000000 ever was. If nothing else, they’re significantly more likeable.
Anyway, I thought this match was good. I didn’t have huge expectations for it coming in, but they smashed through those. No complaints from me!
Verdict: Better Than Expected
Yuka Sakazaki, Mizuki & Yuki Arai defeated Max the Impaler, Raku & Pom Harajuku
Looking at Yuka Sakazaki’s Cagematch page makes me sad. We know why she moved to America, and I’m sure she thought she’d be able to do more in AEW, but it’s such a waste. I don’t even think TJPW particularly needs her right now, but a wrestler that good should be wrestling. Also, it’s weird to see MagiRabbi both wearing black.
Anyway, there was a degree to which this match was playing the hits. With Max and Yuka returning, the appeal was mainly in getting to see them, so they didn’t have to do anything inventive. You got Raku’s sleepy antics, Max failing to understand her team, and Mizuki stealing Pom’s shoes. Is she being paid by a certain section of the internet to keep doing that? However, we did also get a touch of Yuka vs Max, which was fun, and a surprisingly serious run of Pom vs Arai, which I didn’t see coming.
And while there wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before here, it’s either been long enough, or they’re good enough at it that I don’t care. It’s fun to see MagiRabbi slip back into that groove again, and everyone knows I’m never going to complain about a bit of Raku and Pom. On a long card, with a lot happening, sometimes you need something a little bit comforting. That was this match, and it set us up perfectly for the more serious stuff to come.
Verdict: A Good Time
Mirai defeated Arisu Endo to win the International Princess Title
We often talk about how wrestlers need to slow down, take their time and let things sink in. I don’t disagree with that, but I think we also get a bit obsessive about it. There are moments where urgency is more fitting. A point in a match where an opening appears and a wrestler leaps on it, powering home their advantage. See the second here where Mirai’s back gives out on her while lifting Arisu. When she’s dropped to the floor, Endo is on it, slamming a superkick home into the small of the back before following up with the Camel Clutch. It didn’t lead to the win, but it made perfect sense. She spotted an opportunity and didn’t hesitate to take advantage of it.
And this was a match where Endo was forced to rely on those openings. She’s become a bit of wee hoss in recent times, but Mirai is bigger and stronger than her, so she was never going to dominate. In the early going, she was constantly on the backfoot, and it was only when that back injury began to open things up that she was able to really assert herself. Before that, she was reliant on darting around her returning challenger, opening up opportunities to take her off her feet. In the end, of course, it wouldn’t be enough, but I think this was easily Arisu’s best performance as champion. Part of that has been down to her opponents, the Uta match was her only real chance to show what she can do, but she was well-suited to this underdog role, and the spot where she powered through a lariat was badass.
As for Mirai, well, I’m not sure I love putting the belt straight back on her. She did, ultimately, decide to leave back in the day, so having her return and instantly go over one of your young stars feels a bit unfair to Endo. She’s been the one plugging away in TJPW, working her arse off for years while Mirai made the leap to what she must have seen as greener pastures. However, I am happy to see her back in this role, and she is a great wrestler. Early on, this win felt kind of inevitable. She’s powerful, yes, but she’s also quick and able to go on the mat. You can buy her lariating her way through every comer, and the way Arisu sold the killing bloq only added to that. Marai, meanwhile, sold her back well, and while I thought some of the early pacing was off – it felt like they’d fast-forwarded through some of the first act – they dragged it back around for the finale.
So yes, there is a part of me that rebels against Mirai having the carpet laid out for her on her return, but I can’t pretend this isn’t also exciting. Everyone surely wants to see the Suzume match, and there are a whole bunch of other fresh, interesting pairings to put together. I hope she’s got room in her schedule to do at least some of the smaller shows, as I’d love to see her work some tags with the likes of Uta. Wherever it goes, this was a great start, and while it’s a shame to see Endo’s run end relatively quickly, I’ve no doubt she’ll be back.
Verdict: Great Match, Slightly Dodgy Result
In the aftermath, Toga came out to put herself forward as Mirai’s first challenger. That’s not who I would have predicted, but it’s a fun one.
Ober Eats (Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara) defeated Shunrai Rekka!! Prism Greed (Yuki Aino & Haru Kazashiro) to retain the Princess Tag Titles
I think there might be a ceiling on Ober Eats matches for me. There is something about them as a pairing that keeps me at arm’s length. It reminds me of how I felt about 121000000. Two wrestlers I like, paired up in a way that should work, but which I can’t help find off-putting. I don’t think Wakana and Kamiyu encourage bad habits in each other the way Miyu and Maki did, but I also don’t think the team elevates them. They’ve been doing this for a while now, and it still feels a bit like two singles wrestlers stapled together.
The opposite is true of Aino and Haru. I adore them. Awkward, shy Haru plucking up the courage to ask one of her heroes to team with her was so lovely it hurt, and I really wanted them to win this match. Unfortunately, with how it was built, I never quite got there. I bit on Shino Suzuki pinning Aja Kong earlier, but I never believed that Haru or Aino were going to break through. The closest moment was when Haru got the armbar locked in, but even that felt like it was cut off too quickly. Kamiyu stomped on her head just as they were ramping it up as a potential finish.
And this isn’t to say I hated it all. There was a lot to like here. Aino continued her great form, wrestling this whole thing like the tag expert she is. She always felt like the one in control, directing traffic for Haru and doing her best to wipe out Kamiyu and leave her young partner free to take it home. I also think Kazashiro is one of Wakana’s better opponents. She seems to ground her, limiting some of her more ‘ambitious’ ideas in favour of going back to simpler, stripped-back wrestling. I still think Wakana could do with a bit more of that, but Haru is better at getting her to do it than most.
Ultimately, though, this match never quite clicked with me. It was decent, but never great, and despite my affection for one of these teams, I never quite got lost in it. Maybe it was because it was the semi-main on a long show, so I might go back and watch it someday, but as it stands, it was the weakest title match on the card.
Verdict: Something Was Missing
Miu Watanabe defeated Suzume to retain the Princess of Princess Title
There is a moment, right at the end of this match, when Suzume goes for the Ring-A-Bell, only for Miu to block it. As Watanabe powers her away, the look on Suzume’s face says it all. It’s one of resignation. A realisation that, despite doing everything right, she just can’t put this monster down. She doesn’t stop there – she goes for the springboard version of the move, but the inevitable happens. Miu catches her, hits the Spinning Teardrop and retains her title. Who the fuck is going to stop her?
And until that moment, Suzume wrestled a perfect match. She came into this knowing that she had to catch Miu off guard. You can’t face the monster head-on, not if you want to stand a chance of winning. Time after time, Suzume did the unexpected. A dropkick as they lock up, slipping off Miu’s shoulders to hit a face crusher from the apron and pulling out entirely new moves. She still hits some of the spots you’d expect, but she comes at them in different ways or finds a new avenue to set them up. In the biggest match of her career, Suzume adapted her wrestling, changing it to try and find a way through the unbeatable.
It was working, too. There were moments in this match where Miu looked shook. When Suzume blocks her first attempt at the Swing by desperately grabbing onto her leg, Miu becomes obsessed with hitting it, almost to her detriment. She tries to catch the bee mid-dropkick, wrapping her arms around both legs in an attempt to get going, only for Suzume be able to scramble free and catch Miu in the ropes. Watanabe is used to bulldozing through wrestlers, certainly those of Suzume’s size and experience, but she keeps getting stopped from doing so. Or at least she does up until a point. The sad reality is that Suzume could only keep her at arm’s length for so long, and when she does get that Swing on, it’s the Dragon Sleeper version, one that’s perhaps even more lethal than the normal.
Yet, still, even as Miu shuts things down, keeping herself in the fight, Suzume comes so close. When she went for that Ring-A-Bell, the one I mentioned up at the top, I was locked in. I thought she’d done it. Everything had set up perfectly, and, on this day, she was going to push through. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Miu is just too big an obstacle. Too strong, too powerful, too fast. Just like her tag team partner found against Mirai, sometimes someone is just too good. You can do everything perfectly and still fall at the final hurdle.
Not that I think this match is actually a failure for Suzume. It was a career-best performance, one that saw her go up against the current face of the company and hang with her every step of the way. I’ve always liked Suzume as a wrestler, but I did have my doubts about her making that switch to a main event style. She feels more suited for those tighter, faster International Princess matches. Thankfully, I was wrong. She not only adapted, she flourished, and I doubt this is the last time we see her in this spot at the top of the card.
Verdict: Outstanding
Overall Show
A very strong Ittenyon for TJPW. For what I assume is the first time in their history, they ran a January 4th card without Mizuki, Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita or Shoko Nakajima in any of the main spots, and I think they were ultimately justified in that decision. The youngsters stepped up, delivered in all the right places, and, while I’m not that bothered about that side of things, the attendance looked strong. Mirai’s return and win were newsworthy, and they are stacking the card for Grand Princess. It’s looking like we have an exciting year ahead!
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